[EricH]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

FIRST fields ain't level. Also, carpet != wood/tile you'll get drastically different performance characteristics.

This. Also check weight distribution--a climber sticking out the side could be enough to throw off any straight-line maneuvers not going through that side. I don't know how many teams that use mecanums use suspensions any more, but I'd consider a suspension at least worth a look if you don't want to do corrections.

The last truly flat field--no under-carpet bumps or over-carpet bumps--was not 2011. 2009 doesn't count (and had a bump anyways--there was carpet exposed at the edges). 2007, if you weren't climbing a ramp; 2005 if you count the ramps. Yep, 2005. Until you factor in the loading-zone triangles, in which case we haven't had a truly flat field since before automode--in 2002's Zone Zeal.